DEATH OF A SON

UK, 1988, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lynn Redgrave, Frederick Treves, Julian Curry, Oliver Ford Davies.
Directed by Ross Devenish.

Death of a Son is a striking BBC telemovie. With its theme of young adults and dangers from drugs, even death, it is a sombre picture of the impact of drugs in society in England in the '80s. However, the film is also a tribute to the human spirit, with its portrait of Pauline Williams, an ordinary, little educated housewife, who felt that justice was not done concerning her dead son and who took on the legal system and scientists to vindicate her son and contribute to understanding of death by drug-taking. The film is based on a true story of Pauline Williams and her husband Ray.

The telemovie style provides a strong cast with contrast with American telemovies. In this film, the settings are ordinary and gritty, the people not very affluent, not stylish as in American movies. The photography is subdued, the action plain.

The film boasts a wonderful performance from Lynn Redgrave as Pauline Williams, chain-smoking, obsessed, a sense of mission and crusade, finally being vindicated.

A worthwhile telemovie on an important theme as well as offering hope and the value of a contribution by one dedicated person.

1. Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Serious themes? Issues? A portrait of the human spirit?

2. The suburban settings, the drab streets and house? The courts, laboratories? The less-than-flashy style of the photography? The grittiness of the atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title and its focus? The focus on Johnny and the drugs and his death? The focus on Pauline as mother and her concern about her son, his reputation - and his vindication?

4. The family setting, mother and father, the meals? The ordinariness of the household? Pauline and her chain-smoking? Ray and his work? The brother and the preparations for the wedding? Johnny, the meal? His going out, being offered the drugs, the experiment? The disaster of the effect, Austin and his lack of action, putting Johnny on the street, the tension in his calling the police and the ambulance? Johnny's death?

5. The portrait of Pauline Williams, her background, strength, love for her family, support of her husband? The news of the death and its devastating effect? Her antagonism towards Austin? The dealings with the police, their seeming to do nothing? The preparation for the inquest? The scientists and their testimony? Her decision to pursue the case? Her starting to read the books, getting the background information? Her method of just reading the books and finding information about the drugs she was concerned with? The discussions with the police? The nature of the effect of the drug, her further reading, going through the testimony? Looking for loopholes? The effect on herself, haggard, meals, lack of sleep, cigarettes? Ray and his support, feelings of desperation and alienation? The drug dealers and the visit to the house, the attack on Pauline, her being in the hospital? The discussions with the scientists, her discovery about the effect of the drug and the differences in the way that it was taken? Their support, writing to Singapore, the reluctance of the doctor, his change of heart - and the dramatic arrival of the letter and her not being able to open it? Her relationship with the lawyers, persuading them to take on the case, discussions, persistence? The support of the police chief? The scenes in court, the confrontation with Austin? The seeming build-up to her losing the case? The shrewdness of the lawyer, the contribution she made to understanding the drugs? The verdict in her favour? Her continued work? Lynn Redgrave's strong screen presence and performance?


6. Johnny, ordinary young man, love of family, his brother, the drugs, the experiment, being persuaded? Abandoned and dying? His brother, the marriage? Exasperation with his mother? Trying to persuade her to drop her pursuit of Austin? Her being attacked and his reaction in the hospital?

7. Ray, the quiet man of the house, his grief at his son's death, support of his wife? In the background? His support of her, his feelings of alienation, the intimate scenes at home, his wondering what to do? His staying and standing by his wife?

8. Austin, drug-dealing, the links with the drug dealers in the city, the violence, the thug attacks? Austin in jail, his testimony in court, his being guilty of manslaughter?

9. The police, the investigations, their hands being tied? Going to the public prosecutor? The grounds for reopening the case? The refusals?

10. The scientists, the books and articles, the meeting with Pauline, her theories about the ingestion of the drug, their experiments, discussions, support of her, going to the courts? The doctor in Singapore, his initial testimony, his unwillingness to come back to London, Pauline writing the letter, his return? The contribution to understanding of drug deaths based on Pauline's research?

11. Judges, lawyers, prosecutors? The public prosecutor? The use of the media? The reluctance to reopen the case, the final decision to do so - Pauline prepared to sell the house but the public prosecutor taking on the case at the state's expense?

12. Important social issues, justice issues, human issues? The significance of the dedicated crusader?